Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-27


Capt. Jackson Warner, ouartermaster
and commissary of Libby prison during
the war. was in the city during the past
week, and left for his home in Illinois
last night, says the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.
Capt. Warner is now enfeebled by aye.
HIS has nearly reached the seventy third
mile post but his mind Is as clear and
bright as ever. The old gentleman was a
conspicuous figure in Richmond during
the most exciting period of the rebellion.
IL Is difficult to engage him in convelsa-
ton about the prislon, but when once
started he talks freely and relates many
interesting incidents which hundreds of
union prisoners will remember. From
letters IN his possession it is evident that
Capt Warner was as humane and con
siderate TO unfortunate prisoners as cir.
cHmstances would permit. He made
scores OF friends by his kindness, and is
IN regular correspondence with several
army officers who boarded with him dur.
ing the "late pleasantnessf was
commissary and quartermaster NJ Libby
prison from 1851 to 1864 he said when
requested to give some of his reminis.
eences TO The Enquirer. 1t wasn't a
pleasant duty, but / haze the conscious
ness OF feeling that | never treated any
man harshly or cruelty. When we had
good provisions the prisoners got them.
Sometimes they Jared better than the
men in the confederate army. / have
seen Lees soldiers pick up and eat crusts
of bread thrown out by the prisoners.
We're the guards brutal towards the
prisoners
Sometimes | think they were but they
were punished when it was found out. l
only remember two men being killed by
the guards.
How many men were taken out of
Libby and hanged while you were com
missaryg
None; but two men had very narrow
escape. 1t was very solemn affair, and
came near ending badly for the prisoners.
We received word that two confederate
prisoners were hanged, and Gen. Winder,
in command of Richmond, determined 60
retaliate by hanging two union prisoners
in Libby. The order provided that the
names of all the union captains in con.
tinement-lhere were sixty-scyen of
them should be written ON pieses of
paper and placed in box. From these
two names were 20 be drawn, and the I'M
lucky men would be strung up. / re-
fused to superlntend the drawing and all
the chaplains were called down stairs
TO meme man TO draw the slips. Not
withstandDg his vigorous protest Chap
lain Brown of Indiana was selected
Amid death like silence the box was
held above his head, and he drew two
90 81 -
Capt. Sawyer of New Jersey, and Capt
Flynn, OF Ohio. The two men were taken
to Gen. Windes's office. Sawyer took the
matter with great bravery, but Flynn
weakened perceptably. AZ Gen. Winder's
quarters Sawyer asked permission to
write a letter TO his family before he was
executed He was accorded the privilege
and wrote letter to his mother, which
was submitted TO the general, who prom
ised to see that il was sent. When Flynn
was asked if he wished TO forward a mes
sage to his relatives, he said: No II
you d --- rebels hang nae my family
will find It out soon enough. The two
men were |hen removed TO prison, ex
pecting to be hanged at daybreak. Ii
some way the Christian women heard o
the proposed execution. They had NJ
love for the Yankees, but thought theJ
ought to have more time to prepare fol
death, so they besought President Davi'
to respite them for several days, which he
consented to do. In the meantime Sec
rotary Stanton had been informed that
two union captains were to be hanged
Col. Winder, and Gen. Fitzhugh Lee wer,
then union prisoners, and Stanton notified
JEFF Davis that if the two men were execu
ted he would hang WInder anC Lee. Thi;
frightened the confed crates, and the
captains were not hanged, but shortly af
forwards exchanged. 1t was a mighty
close call for them. If it hadn't been foi
the religious women interfering they
would have been stranglod the mex
morning.